Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research
Whitehead institute forges new frontiers in science, uncovering insights today that unlock the potential of tomorrow. Our advances in genetics and genomics are now enabling us to tackle the complexities of life with unprecedented depth and breadth.
Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research at a glance
In short: Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research gave $2.6M across 9 grants in 2025 (avg $284K), mostly in Massachusetts. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $2,557,603
- +6.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 9
- -10.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $284,178
- +18.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $312,383
- Total assets
- $973,242,315
- +7.7% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (67% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 9 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Harvard University ($593K). Together the top 9 received $2.6M.
Grant Size Distribution
35 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $250–500K range: 10 grants of 35 (29%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 9 itemized grants.
Cities
How Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research gives
- Giving grew 188% from 2022 to 2025. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $826K (2020) to $2.6M (2025). In 2025 it made 9 grants totaling $2.6M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Harvard University Cambridge, MA | Research Subaward | $592,946 |
| The Broad Institute Cambridge, MA | Research Subaward | $446,810 |
| Princeton University Princeton, NJ | Research Subaward | $333,938 |
| Dana Farber Cancer Institute Boston, MA | Research Subaward | $314,134 |
| Columbia University New York, NY | Research Subawards | $312,383 |
| Brigham and Womens Hospital Boston, MA | Research Subawards | $215,931 |
| Memorial Sloan Kettering New York, NY | Research Subawards | $185,312 |
| Boston Children's Hospital Boston, MA | Research Subaward | $150,151 |
| University of Pennslyvania Philadelphia, PA | Research Subawards | $5,998 |
Ready to take the next step with Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $973,242,315 | $222,267,487 | $174,270,117 | $2,557,603 | 9 | $69,987,554 |
| 2024 | $903,412,304 | $164,876,615 | $145,733,750 | $2,402,028 | 10 | $42,729,652 |
| 2023 | $842,417,084 | $120,192,597 | $122,899,801 | $2,481,689 | 8 | $31,772,880 |
| 2022 | $806,821,986 | $110,885,074 | $110,235,410 | $886,557 | 4 | $30,522,999 |
| 2021 | $896,132,656 | $97,603,749 | $96,726,988 | $909,821 | 4 | $31,612,277 |
| 2020 | $712,253,042 | $72,327,232 | $77,087,871 | $825,845 | 5 | $25,695,807 |
| 2019 | $650,160,818 | $83,985,006 | $72,969,532 | $1,661,472 | 7 | $29,003,121 |
About Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research
Based on IRS filings
Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research is a public charity focused on Medical Research, based in Cambridge, MA. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $973.2M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 9 grants totaling $2.6M. Net investment income was $70.0M.
Focus Areas
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research is led by Ruth Lehmann, Director & President on every filing since 2021; 11 of 28 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Ruth Lehmann
Director & President
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$366K (2021) → $1M (2025)
Sarah Williamson
Director & Board Chair
Director → Director & Board Chair, 2021
On filings since 2019
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Brit D'arbeloff
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jonathan Goldstein
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Paul L. Joskow
Director & Board Vice Chair
Director → Director & Board Vice Chair, 2021
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Peter Whitehead
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Susan Whitehead
Director
Director & Board Vice Chair → Director, 2021
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dennis Langer
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert Satcher
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Seth Alexander
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kevin Churchwell
Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael Chambers
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Raja Bobbili
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Terrance McGuire
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Deborah Dunsire
Director
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Micho Spring
Director
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sally Kornbluth
Director
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Maren Winnick
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Martin Mullins
Vice President
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$437K (2019) → $548K (2025)
Monica Gerber
Secretary
On filings since 2019
20 hrs/week
$107K (2019) → $125K (2025)
Richard Young
Member
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$318K (2019) → $366K (2025)
Robert Weinberg
Member
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$311K (2019) → $363K (2025)
Rudolf Jaenisch
Member
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$329K (2019) → $392K (2025)
Sharon Stanczak
Vice President & Secretary
Vice President Institutional Advancement → Vice President, 2021
Vice President → Vice President & Secretary, 2022
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$305K (2019) → $427K (2025)
Harvey Lodish
Member
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$283K (2021) → $321K (2025)
Iain Cheeseman
Member
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$274K (2021) → $351K (2025)
Laura Sander
CFO & Treasurer
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$194K (2024) → $399K (2025)
Monique Taylor
Assistant Secretary
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$29K (2023) → $90K (2025)
Former officers (17)
- Former: Mark Lapman (2019–2024) — Director
- Former: Phillip Sharp (2019–2024) — Director
- Former: Churchill Franklin (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Susan Hockfield (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Mary Gehring (2024) — Member
- Former: Julia Fantasia (2019–2023) — CFO & Treasurer
- Former: Robert Langer (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Mark Poirot-Colleary (2022–2023) — Assistant Secretary
- Former: Caroline Romano (2019–2021) — Assistant Secretary
- Former: David Page (2019–2021) — Director & President
- Former: John Whitehead (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Amy Schulman (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Andrew Lo (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Arthur Schleifer (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Charles Ellis (2019–2020) — Director & Board Chair
- Former: Hazel Sive (2019–2020) — Member
- Former: Michael Bonney (2019) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $1.0M, to Dr Ruth Lehmann (Director/President). 11 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research
How much does Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research give each year?
Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research gave $2.6M across 9 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $2.4M across 10 grants.
What is Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research's typical grant size?
Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research's median grant in 2025 was $312,383, and its average grant was $284,178, across 9 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research give grants?
Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research gives mostly in Massachusetts: 67% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest states were New York (19%) and New Jersey (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were Boston, MA (3 grants), Cambridge, MA (2 grants) and New York, NY (2 grants).
Does Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 9 grants with a stated purpose on Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Research Subaward" (5 grants) and "Research Subawards" (4 grants).
Who are Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research's largest grantees?
Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research's largest 2025 grantees include Harvard University ($592,946), The Broad Institute ($446,810) and Princeton University ($333,938), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 54% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research?
Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research reported $973.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $222.3M.
What is Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research?
Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research is a public charity focused on Medical Research, based in Cambridge, MA. It holds $973.2M in total assets as of 2025.
What is Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research's EIN?
Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 06-1043412. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 14, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 16, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 12, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 15, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 15, 2020)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research funds
Medical Research Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
- Dr. Richard A. Falls Virginia Lions Eye Institute Research Grant Up to $40,000 (yearly total budget) · Due October 25, 2026
- NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) $32,000 annually plus $12,000 cost of education allowance · Due October 27, 2026
- Social, Political and Economic Inequality Grants Due October 28, 2026
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Chevy Chase, MD
HHMI funds basic biomedical research, science education, fellowships, and public engagement, primarily through programs for researchers and support to universities and other organizations. Its 2025 itemized grants ranged from $10,000 to $3,062,953, with a median of $20,000; its research programs serve U.S. institutions, and listed grants were concentrated in California, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Virginia, and North Carolina. HHMI does not accept unsolicited requests; most competitions use formal invitation and review processes.
Assets
$29.5B
Grants
31
Total Given
$8.8M
The Broad Institute Inc
Cambridge, MA
The Broad Institute funds biomedical research, especially work on disease causes, treatments, cancer, and research technologies, primarily through grants to universities, hospitals, and research centers. In 2025, grants ranged from $8,419 to $15.75 million, with a median of about $301,000; most funding went to Massachusetts organizations. The profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$3.5B
Grants
77
Total Given
$86.0M
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Inc
Charlestown, MA
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center funds patient care, medical research, and health care education, with grants also supporting related community needs and infrastructure. Its 2025 grants had a median of about $132,000, though awards ranged widely; 79% of grant dollars went to Massachusetts recipients. The profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$4.8B
Grants
148
Total Given
$91.2M
Trustees of Tufts College
Medford, MA
Trustees of Tufts College supports university instruction, research, student services, and related organizations; its 2025 grants had a median of $76,881, though many large awards were subcontract grants. Giving is concentrated in Massachusetts, and its Tufts Community Grants offer $5,000 for eligible nonprofit projects in Boston, Grafton, Medford, and Somerville; the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$4.9B
Grants
149
Total Given
$38.3M
Alzheimer's Disease Research Foundation
Wellesley Hills, MA
The fund supports research aimed at preventing, slowing, or reversing Alzheimer’s disease, including work on genetics, biomarkers, amyloid, tau, and the immune system. Typical 2026 grants are $201,250 per year for one to two years, supporting institutions across the United States. It does not accept unsolicited proposals, but welcomes letters of inquiry from tenure-track professors at accredited institutions.
Assets
$43.2M
Grants
161
Total Given
$33.8M
University of Chicago
Chicago, IL
The University of Chicago primarily funds education and research, including instruction, scholarships, fellowships, and related services; its grants also support universities and research organizations. Its 2025 grants ranged from $5,182 to $8.85 million, with a median of about $161,000, and Illinois received the largest share of funding. It does not describe general unsolicited requests; specific opportunities use internal selection or application processes, and the Women’s Board accepts proposals from eligible university-affiliated applicants.
Assets
$15.8B
Grants
201
Total Given
$90.9M
More similar funders
More Funders in Massachusetts
The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open
Figures come from Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research down — hundreds of funders to go?